Anthology of Ichor III: Gears of Damnation (4 page)

SIDE EFFECTS

by

Cynthia Ray

Stella sat on the exam table at the Holistic Health and Wellness Center in her stiff paper gown and watched the assistant prepare an injection. Stella’s heart beat faster and she prayed. “Please, please, please let it work.”

Due to her crippling arthritis, she used a walker to get around. When she woke in the morning, she could barely move. She had to uncurl her hands, fingers, legs, and hips slowly, one by one to get them moving, and each joint, each muscle screamed in protest. Stella had tried a variety of conventional medications, physical therapy and over the counter remedies, but the disease progressed unchecked, devouring every bone in her body.

A week after her 24
^th
birthday, she’d woken up with aching hands. She’d been studying music at the university, and played the piano. Over the next two years the pain increased and the ability to move her joints decreased until her hands looked and felt like claws, and she couldn’t turn a doorknob, much less play her beloved piano. Her bright dreams of playing music professionally became aching memories.

Now, at 32 years, her life had narrowed to the four walls of her home, her books, her methodical routines and Pete. To leave the house involved special help in and out of the car, the use of the walker or wheelchair and the pitying stares. She considered suicide; only her husband’s dedication saved her from that fate.

The assistant turned and smiled at her, “The Healer will be right in.”

While Stella waited, she looked at the strange signs and posters in the exam room. They extolled the virtues of ancient Greek and Indian medicine, of homeopathy and herbology. She’d heard about this healer from a friend who’d been “cured” of migraines by her. Dr. Evans sounded very “woo-woo”, but Stella was ready to try anything, so she’d made an appointment.

Dr. Evans knocked on the door and poked her graying head into the room. She walked in and sat down in a chair next to the exam table.“Stella, I’m excited about this new phyto-therapeutic treatment. I obtained extract from a healer in the Greek Islands. He discovered this potent new lichen growing on old temple ruins.” Dr. Evans grew animated.“He gathers the azure blue plant at the full moon, then extracts its essence. He tells me it is very effective for treatment of depression, ulcers and.” she smiled at Stella, “arthritis. No one else in the states is using it yet. Normally, I would have you drink an infusion of the plant, but the injection will be stronger and faster acting. Are you willing to try it? ”

Stella laughed at her desperation. She didn’t believe the strange plant would have any significant effect on her intractable disease. But it couldn’t hurt, and there was the remote chance it would alleviate some of her symptoms. “Yes, I’m willing. Are there any side effects?”

The healer frowned.“Side effects? No, I haven’t heard of any. No one in Greece or France has reported any. I don’t anticipate any problems. You might experience slight itchiness or redness at the injection site.” Dr. Evans put her hand on Stella’s. “Healing is a journey. Are you ready to begin?” Stella nodded and Dr. Evans rolled up Stella’s sleeve, rubbed her arm with alcohol. “Here we go, just a little pinch…”

Stella held her breath as the blue liquid left the tube and entered her arm. It was done. Stella realized Dr. Evans was talking. “Be sure to call if you have any problems.” She helped Stella from the exam table, and to the dressing area. “Don’t forget to stop at the front desk on your way out and make an appointment for next week. See you then.”

Stella stopped the doctor before she could leave, “Could you have my husband come in. I need some help getting dressed.” The doctor nodded and looked with pity at her crippled body.

“
Well?” Peter asked expectantly as he opened the door to the exam room.

“
Now we wait. The doctor said it would take a day or two to notice any difference. I hope it works, otherwise…I don’t know what I will do. I hate living like this. I hate it.” She grasped her walker and winced in pain.

Peter took her arm. “It will work.” he assured her, though he had little hope.

~*~

The next day Stella woke earlier than usual. She’d slept well. She tentatively wiggled her toes. No tenderness, no aches. The joints were no longer swollen or deformed. She stretched out her arms and fingers; her joints moved smoothly without soreness; she sat up-without pain. Her arthritis had vanished. The strange blue potion worked. She burst into tears. This was the first time in years that she was able to move without some part of her clinching up in pain.

Peter came running. “Stella. What’s wrong?”

She stepped out of bed and amazed Peter.

“
Look at you. Look at you…”

Stella jumped up and down and danced around the room in her pajamas, crying and laughing. She ran to Peter and hugged him in joy. It was Peter’s turn to cry as he held her tight against his chest.

“
I’m happy for you.” Peter whispered.

Stella sighed, “This has been hard for you, hasn’t it? I’m sorry. You’ve been there for me, through all of the hard times. Thank you.”

Peter kissed her on her cheek and said, “In sickness and in health--I promised and I meant it. I love you.”

Stella leaned into him, breathing in his musky smell. They hadn’t had sex for a long time, over ten months, because of her pain. She moved her hand down his leg. “I can think of a way to celebrate.”

Peters’ eyes widened. “Will we remember how?” he joked.

Stella laughed, “I doubt that will be a problem.” She pushed him onto the bed. “Mr. McRoy, I think you are going to be late for work.”

He held her face in his hands, “Oh God, I missed you so much.” He pushed his hands through the curls of her auburn hair. He traced the fullness of her lips with his fingers, and looked into her large, liquid brown eyes. “You are beautiful,” Peter murmured as he kissed her neck.

They made love, passionately, then again, soft and slow. Afterwards, as they held each other, Stella sighed, “I’m happy--I forgot what it feels like to be happy.”

Peter dressed, and said, “I do need to work today, but let’s go out tonight and celebrate. How about the nice French place you like so well?”

Stella lay back on the pillow, admiring his lithe, thin body, and the way his black hair grayed at the temples. “Wonderful, I’ll make reservations.”

She grabbed his arms and kissed him as he left. “Don’t be late,” she teased.

In high spirits, Stella moved about the house, jumping, stretching, and doing pirouettes. It felt like a miracle. She had her life back. She decided to call the Wellness Center and share the good news.

“
Hello, this is Stella McRoy. May I speak with Dr. Evans?” She hummed to herself while she waited.

“
Hello, Stella? I hope nothing is wrong?” Dr. Evans worried voice came on the line.

“
Dr. Evans? I woke up this morning pain free. I can’t believe it.”

“
That is wonderful news. That is just amazing. No side effects?”

“
No, none at all, I just want to thank you and the Health Center…” she began, but her voice broke and she couldn’t finish.

“
Oh, Stella, please, don’t thank us. We should thank you for allowing us to help you. You are blazing a trail for other patients by being the first person in the states to try the extract.” Dr. Evans wished her well, and said she would see her next week.

Once she hung up, Stella didn’t know what to do with herself. With her disease, it took all day to accomplish the small tasks of daily living, feeding herself, laundry, moving from one room to another. Her routines and paths through the house were set like train tracks. Every task required planning and forethought. Now, she was free from those limitations—free from the walker, free from the pain - what should she do? A walk along the river? A surprise visit to her friend Nadine?

Then Stella clapped her hands. Of course! She would shop for an attractive new dress for their dinner date tonight, pretty shoes and maybe some lingerie.

She giggled to herself as she thought about buying a whole new wardrobe, one without the snaps or elastic that she was forced to wear because of her arthritic fingers. She stood up to get her jacket.

Stella’s head exploded, and the room spun around. She sat down and gripped the arms of the chair. She closed her eyes. The feeling of dizziness subsided and she took a deep breath. Was this a side effect? She would have to tell Dr. Evans about it next week. She opened her eyes.

The vertigo stopped, but her brain couldn’t register what it saw. She blinked and shook her head. No, this couldn’t be right. The world was transformed; nothing looked the same. She looked around at the chairs, the shelves, the floor; they vibrated, shimmered, jumped and danced. Nothing looked solid.

As she held up her hand, she could see all of the cells, the energy and electricity jumping between them. She stared, fascinated. She stood up, and tried to walk, but felt as if she was floating in a world of water. She fell back into the chair. She was inundated with a heady, dark perfume, redolent and tropical. She heard a humming sound, and felt the air become electrically charged.

A sizzling, crackling, globe of lightning appeared before her and out of it a terrible form took shape. A tall, naked woman with disheveled and wild black hair appeared. Her blue skin shone like a polished stone, but her eyes were red, her face contorted.

The demon/goddess/woman wore a garland of human skulls draped from her neck, and large serpents writhed around her arms. She wielded a large battle sword over her head. She threw back her head and howled, as she brandished the sword. Stella fell to the floor in terror, shaking and trembling.

A discordant and powerful voice echoed in Stella’s head.
“
I am Eris. Goddess of Chaos. Goddess of War. Enemy of Order. I am Chaos.
”

Tears ran down Stella’s cheeks, “I don’t understand.”

“
Chaos is Truth.
”
Eris touched Stella’s shoulder with her sword, and blood welled up. As Stella gazed at the red rivulets running down her arm, she saw reflected there the forceful ways of Discordia, dark visions of war, battlefields of warriors caught up in desperate struggles as Eris, dressed in her torn and bloody mantle, danced through and around them, whipping them into murderous frenzy, wielding her own battle stained sword.

Stella beheld stealthy murders by poison, rash death by hanging, by drowning, by genocide, with Eris as the instigator. Stella witnessed orgies of unrestrained lust, twisted magic and occult mysteries.
The darkness between the stars, the sucking black holes of space were her domain, trails of Eris’s destruction, chaos, and ruin echoed down through the ages, across space and time.

Stella didn’t know how long her vision lasted, but when she came to she was still sitting in her living room, feeling spent, but charged with a peculiar energy. Everything had changed, she saw the world differently now, so many doors had opened. She decided not to tell Peter about the vision just yet.

~*~

When Peter returned from work, he was humming to himself as he opened the door. He looked forward to their dinner out. He planned to surprise Stella and carried an expensive bottle of
Dom Pérignon, her favorite Champagne. Stella walked out from the bedroom and Peter dropped the bottle
.
The champagne pooled and foamed around his feet.

Stella was dressed in black leather from head to toe. She had a black leather bustier, ornamented with silver rings and a zipper up the front. Her skintight leather pants also had a silver zipper that was halfway undone. She wore black stiletto heels, fingerless gloves and carried a small fetish whip.

“
Stella, my God! What ..?”

Stella rolled the whip along her arm. The effect on him was electric.

“
Like it? It’s a little surprise for you.” She purred.

“
Surprise doesn’t even begin to cover it.” Peter stammered.

“
Take off your clothes.” Stella pointed at him with the whip. “Now.”

Peter astonished himself by obeying. He fumbled with his shirt buttons-his hands were trembling. He stepped out of his clothes and left them in a pile on the floor. He stumbled across the room to her in a daze.

“
Kneel.” Stella commanded and he did.

Peter put his hands on her hips, the smooth leather felt lovely and erotic. He inhaled the smell of her, cupped her buttocks in his hands and closed his eyes. This was extraordinary. He started to tug at the zipper.

Stella flicked him playfully with the whip. “Not yet.” She led him to the bedroom. Bewildered, Peter allowed her to bind him, and tease him until he wanted to scream. He was more aroused than he had ever been. His final release astonished him. It felt so good, he was almost afraid.